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Organic, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo RecipesFri, 09 Dec 2016 13:32:04 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7Cream of Vegetable Souphttp://deliciouslyorganic.net/cream-vegetable-soup/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/cream-vegetable-soup/#commentsTue, 06 Dec 2016 16:19:42 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=116478I picked up a copy of Nourishing Traditions 13 years ago when I was learning how to cook and bake with unprocessed ingredients. Cream of Vegetable Soup was one of the first recipes I tried and the entire family fell in love with this delightful soup. Abby even requested it for her birthday dinner when […]

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I picked up a copy of Nourishing Traditions 13 years ago when I was learning how to cook and bake with unprocessed ingredients. Cream of Vegetable Soup was one of the first recipes I tried and the entire family fell in love with this delightful soup. Abby even requested it for her birthday dinner when she turned three!

The soup offers a comforting mix of vegetables, healthy fats, herbs and sea salt that nourishes from the inside-out. It makes for great leftovers, in fact, my kids took this soup in an insulated thermos to school today! It also freezes well.

If you’re hosting a holiday party, you can even pour the soup into individual shot glasses and top with a small dollop of sour cream and a few thyme leaves. Place them on a tray and pass. Your guests will love it!

We like to serve it with a dollop of creme fraiche, a bit of raw cheddar and some fresh thyme leaves, but you can also serve it without the garnishes or with sour cream in place of the creme fraiche.

Melt the butter over low heat in a
dutch oven
. Add the onions and carrots, put the lid on the pot and let the vegetables sweat for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock and increase heat to medium-high and boil. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Add the thyme sprigs and zucchini and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until the zucchini are tender. Remove the thyme bundle from the soup. Using a hand-immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Stir in salt and cream. Taste the soup and add more sea salt if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche and raw cheddar (if using).

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/cream-vegetable-soup/feed/4Flourless Almond Butter and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Grain-Free)http://deliciouslyorganic.net/flourless-almond-butter-and-chocolate-sandwich-cookies-grain-free/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/flourless-almond-butter-and-chocolate-sandwich-cookies-grain-free/#commentsThu, 01 Dec 2016 17:04:40 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=116351We’ve started the Christmas season! For most of us, that means getting into the kitchen and baking cookies. While sugar should be enjoyed in strict moderation, I do like to offer healthier alternatives to traditional favorites. It’s also fun to show up at a party, serve grain-free cookies, let your friends rave and only then […]

We’ve started the Christmas season! For most of us, that means getting into the kitchen and baking cookies. While sugar should be enjoyed in strict moderation, I do like to offer healthier alternatives to traditional favorites. It’s also fun to show up at a party, serve grain-free cookies, let your friends rave and only then reveal they’re grain-free. I kinda get a kick out of this. 🙂

Almond butter and chocolate sandwiches are fun flourless Christmas cookies you can make with kids that are great for a cookie exchange or party. The cookies also work great served alone as a fun treat.

For a limited time, Thrive is offering Deliciously Organic readers a free jar of Really Raw honey! This honey is the real deal – unheated and full of honeycomb and pollen. It’s one of my most favorite honeys to use for baking because of its light flavor.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and adjust the rack to the middle position. Place the almond butter, coconut sugar and baking soda in the bowl of a
standing mixer
and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium-low until combined, about 30 seconds.

Using a
1 1/2-inch cookie scoop
, spoon the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with
parchment paper
. Arrange the balls about 1 1/2 inches apart. Using your fingers, gently press down on the dough balls to make them flat and about ¼-inch thick. Bake for 11 minutes and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

To make the filling: Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Remove from the heat and let cool until slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

To assemble: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside-down and spoon about 2 teaspoons of chocolate filling into the center of each cookie. Top with the remaining cookies and press each cookie gently to s

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/flourless-almond-butter-and-chocolate-sandwich-cookies-grain-free/feed/6Easy Gravy Recipe (Grain-Free, Paleo)http://deliciouslyorganic.net/easy-gravy-recipe-grain-free-paleo/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/easy-gravy-recipe-grain-free-paleo/#respondTue, 22 Nov 2016 19:45:49 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=116286It pays to have an easy gravy recipe in your repertoire – and not just for Thanksgiving! This gravy recipe contains just six ingredients and provides a nice depth of flavor because of the caramelized onions and homemade chicken stock. You can serve it with turkey, chicken, mashed potatoes, or anything else you like to […]

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It pays to have an easy gravy recipe in your repertoire – and not just for Thanksgiving! This gravy recipe contains just six ingredients and provides a nice depth of flavor because of the caramelized onions and homemade chicken stock. You can serve it with turkey, chicken, mashed potatoes, or anything else you like to accompany with gravy.

Gravy sometimes causes unnecessary stress since it’s usually made last minute – when the turkey is ready and everyone is waiting to eat. To alleviate the stress, you can make this gravy a day or two ahead of time, store it in the fridge and then quickly reheat it on the stove before serving.

Makes about 3 cups

Easy Gravy Recipe (Grain-Free, Paleo)

If you’d like to use turkey or chicken drippings in this recipe, substitute up to 1/2 cup of the stock for drippings.

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, turn to low and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions begin turning golden brown, about 30 minutes. Stir in the arrowroot flour. Whisk in the chicken stock, sea salt, and pepper. Heat over medium heat and whisk constantly until gravy just begins to thicken. Remove immediately from the heat. Using a hand immersion blender, blend gravy until smooth or pour into a blender and blend until smooth (you can skip this step if you prefer a chunkier texture). Add additional salt and pepper to taste. I like to store the gravy in a large mason jar if I make it a day or two ahead of time. Alternately, if you’d like to keep it hot before a meal, pour it into an
insulated water bottle
.

Note: I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/easy-gravy-recipe-grain-free-paleo/feed/0Creamed Kale with Shallotshttp://deliciouslyorganic.net/creamed-kale-with-shallots/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/creamed-kale-with-shallots/#commentsThu, 17 Nov 2016 16:34:08 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=116182I’ve got another nutrient-dense Thanksgiving side dish for you! Easy-to-make Creamed Kale with Shallots provides a delicious complement and allows a dairy-free adaptation. Last week I finished Nutritional Therapy School, so as we move along you’ll see more health-related articles, especially ones focused on thyroid health. Many of you have asked me about the program, […]

I’ve got another nutrient-dense Thanksgiving side dish for you! Easy-to-make Creamed Kale with Shallots provides a delicious complement and allows a dairy-free adaptation.

Last week I finished Nutritional Therapy School, so as we move along you’ll see more health-related articles, especially ones focused on thyroid health.

Many of you have asked me about the program, what I think, how much time it takes, etc. so I’m taking some time to give you my honest feedback.

I received my Nutritional Therapy Practitioner certification via The Nutritional Therapy Association. The school teaches the importance of properly prepared whole foods for nourishing the body and restoring health. They respect the bio-individuality of each person and teach how to tailor diets and whole food supplements (when needed) for each person based on their specific needs.

I appreciated the scientific approach to nutrition and the tools they provided for looking at a client’s symptoms and producing a nutritional protocol focusing on root issues.

A nutritional therapist works alongside other health professionals to help a client reach their specific health goals. We do not prescribe medications or diagnose – we simply focus on using a traditional food approach to wellness.

The required reading is quite extensive, and I saved a lot of time by reading the books even before my class started. On average, most students spend about 20 hours a week completing the coursework, studying and practicing their functional evaluation skills. There are also three long weekends where students are required to travel for in-class lectures, hands-on functional training and exams. I enjoyed the classroom environment and was excited to make new like-minded friends.

Now, I can’t give an honest review without a few criticisms. One of the things I didn’t like was the length of the video and audio lectures – some were almost two hours. If they’d been broken into smaller lectures, it would have been more helpful for learning. I also think they should spend more time during one of the workshop weekends to help graduating students understand how to start a nutritional therapy business. Many of my classmates were bursting with business questions and didn’t feel those were well discussed.

Overall, I found the program very educational and I highly recommend the program if you’re interested in nutritional therapy!

Now, back to the recipe . . . Boil the kale for 8 minutes before sautéing to reduce the goitrogens in the greens. This is an important step as goitrogens can inhibit the uptake of iodine in the thyroid, and the body depends on iodine to produce thyroid hormones. So, don’t skip this step.

The kale is then sautéed in an animal fat (this time I chose butter, but you could also use duck fat or lard) because animal fat contains fat-soluble vitamin activators. These are important because vitamins A, D, E and K in fruits and vegetables cannot be used by the body unless there is a fat-soluble vitamin activator present. This is why it’s very important to consume some type of animal fat each day. Otherwise, your body can’t utilize all of those good nutrients in your food!

This side dish adds a nice touch of green to the Thanksgiving table – I can say from personal experience, the leftovers are worth fighting for!

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place kale in the boiling water and continue to boil for 8 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess moisture out of kale (this can be done a day or two ahead and time. Just store the kale in the fridge until ready to continue with the recipe).

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently until just turning brown on the edges, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the arrowroot flour and then the milk and cream. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Add the crumbled saffron (if desired), and then stir in the kale until it’s coated with the creamy milk mixture. Continue cooking until the kale is heated through. Stir in the salt and pepper. If the mixture is too thick, you can thin it with a little milk. Taste and see if kale needs a bit more salt or pepper. Serve.

]]> Thanksgiving arrives in just a few weeks! I’m striving to help make your big holiday meals both nutrient-dense and thoroughly enjoyed by friends and family. I’ve shared dozens of grain-free recipes over the past few years; today I’ve got a Hazelnut Tart recipe I think you’re going to love.

The crispy hazelnuts and honey-sweetened filling nestle into my basic grain-free pie crust and bake until they’re golden brown. The resulting sweet, nutty tart will remind you of pecan pie, but be different enough that you can serve it alongside your traditional favorites at Thanksgiving.

Prepare the crust: Place the almond flour, 4 tablespoons coconut flour, gelatin, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon coconut sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to combine. Add the 8 tablespoons cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse for eight 1-second pulses. Then leave the processor on until the dough forms into a ball. (If the dough is crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.) Press the dough on the bottom and up the sides of a
10-inch tart pan
. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and adjust the rack to the middle position. Cover the chilled crust with a piece of
parchment paper
. Pour
pie weights
or beans onto the parchment to weigh the paper down. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, remove the pie weights and parchment and then bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the crust just begins turning golden brown.

Prepare the filling: Pour the hazelnuts over the pre-baked pie crust and spread into an even layer. Whisk the eggs, yolks, ½ cup coconut sugar, honey, 1 teaspoon salt, cream, 1 tablespoon coconut flour and vanilla until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the hazelnuts. Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes, until the filling turns golden brown. Cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

Note: I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/hazelnut-tart-grain-free/feed/0Brussels Sprout Gratin (Grain-Free)http://deliciouslyorganic.net/brussels-sprout-gratin-grain-free/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/brussels-sprout-gratin-grain-free/#commentsTue, 25 Oct 2016 17:01:43 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=115822I’m two weeks away from graduating from Nutritional Therapy School and I’m super excited for the approaching holidays! I know things have been a little quiet here, but I’ve needed the extra time to study over the last nine months. Once I graduate, I’ll be able to post more often. Thanks for hanging in there […]

I’m two weeks away from graduating from Nutritional Therapy School and I’m super excited for the approaching holidays! I know things have been a little quiet here, but I’ve needed the extra time to study over the last nine months. Once I graduate, I’ll be able to post more often. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

I know Brussels Sprout Gratin is more of a Thanksgiving dish, so maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, but it’s so good I decided share it with you now.

The Brussels sprouts are simmered in water which helps reduce the goitrogens (remember – this is a good thing to do if you battle thyroid issues). The sprouts are then combined with a creamy cheese sauce and baked in the oven. You can substitute any mild cheese you’d like. Breadcrumbs sprinkled on top would be a nice touch, too – if you can tolerate grains.

Preheat oven to 375ºF and adjust rack to the middle position. Place the Brussels sprouts in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the sprouts for 8 minutes. Drain and then rinse with cold water. Lay a clean towel on the counter then pour the sprouts on the towel and gently press the sprouts to soak up any excess water.

Place the butter and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter melts and the garlic sizzles. Whisk in the arrowroot and then slowly whisk in the milk, salt and pepper. Continue to cook, whisking often until the mixture begins to thicken. Add 10 ounces of the grated cheese (that’s about 1 1/4 cups), and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy. Stir in the Brussels sprouts and combine until all sprouts are coated with the sauce. Pour the mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is just beginning to turn golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve.

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/brussels-sprout-gratin-grain-free/feed/7Corn Dog Muffins (Grain-Free)http://deliciouslyorganic.net/corn-dog-muffins-grain-free/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/corn-dog-muffins-grain-free/#commentsTue, 11 Oct 2016 14:00:58 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=115575These little Corn Dog Muffins taste so much like a corndog you’ll be amazed! My kids loved them. I used my “cornbread” batter and inserted a two-inch piece of organic hotdog into each mini muffin before baking. So easy! These little poppers are great for kids’ parties or game day, and would be super fun […]

These little Corn Dog Muffins taste so much like a corndog you’ll be amazed! My kids loved them. I used my “cornbread” batter and inserted a two-inch piece of organic hotdog into each mini muffin before baking. So easy!

These little poppers are great for kids’ parties or game day, and would be super fun for a Halloween event.

You can dip them in ketchup (see my cookbook for a great homemade recipe) or classic yellow mustard or eat them alone. They also freeze well after baking – to reheat, place them in a 300ºF oven for about 15 minutes until thawed and warmed.

Preheat oven to 375°F and adjust rack to middle position of oven. Butter each cup in a
mini-muffin pan
. Whisk almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, sea salt, baking soda and coconut sugar together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, and sour cream. Pour sour cream mixture and onions into flour mixture and gently fold all ingredients together. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into a muffin cup and then push a piece of hotdog into the center. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake 16-18 minutes, until the muffins are turning golden brown on the edges. Cool for 10 minutes and then carefully transfer the muffins out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Cool for an additional 10 minutes. Serve.

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/corn-dog-muffins-grain-free/feed/15Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Salted Caramel (Grain-Free)http://deliciouslyorganic.net/pumpkin-spice-donuts-salted-caramel-grain-free/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/pumpkin-spice-donuts-salted-caramel-grain-free/#commentsMon, 03 Oct 2016 15:51:39 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=115542I haven’t posted a dessert recipe in quite a while, so I thought it would be fun to celebrate the official start of fall by sharing Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Salted Caramel. These donuts start with a simple cake batter you can even mix in a blender or food processor to make things easier. The […]

]]>I haven’t posted a dessert recipe in quite a while, so I thought it would be fun to celebrate the official start of fall by sharing Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Salted Caramel. These donuts start with a simple cake batter you can even mix in a blender or food processor to make things easier.

The caramel features just three ingredients – coconut sugar, coconut milk and vanilla. The two simmer on the stove for 20 to 25 minutes and become the most wonderful dairy-free caramel! Try using the caramel for apples, over sundaes, or drizzled over apple crisp for a little extra indulgence.

A little Celtic sea salt sprinkled on top of these pumpkin spice donuts produces a delightful salty-sweet combo. Happy Fall!

Preheat oven to 350ºF and adjust rack to middle position. Place all of the donut ingredients in a

large bowl and whisk until smooth. Spoon the batter into a buttered donut baking pan. Bake for

18-20 minutes until just turning golden brown on the edges. Cool completely.

Place the coconut sugar and coconut milk in a medium saucepan and whisk until combined. Heat over medium-high until boiling and then turn down to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until reduced and mixture has thickened. Cool for about 30 minutes.

To glaze the donuts: Pick up a donut and dip the top half in the cooled caramel and then place

I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!

Chilaquiles traditionally uses corn chips, so to keep this recipe grain-free I tested the recipe with both taro and plantain chips and the entire family loved it. This recipe is pretty versatile, so you can use whatever grain-free chip you prefer.

Serves 6

Grain-Free Chilaquiles

You can make this recipe with either a red or green enchilada sauce, so I gave options for both. If you need to avoid nightshades, then omit the sauce (and the recipe will still taste fantastic!). As I mentioned in the post, I tested this recipe with taro and plantain chips, but you can use whichever grain-free chip you prefer!

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place butter or ghee in a
large oven-safe skillet
and melt over medium heat. Beat the eggs, pour them into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until scrambled. Season with sea salt. Spoon the eggs into a bowl and set aside. Place half of the chips in the the skillet, pour sauce over (if using) and toss until heated. Place the eggs and half of the cheese on top of the chip mixture. Add the remaining chips on top and then add the remaining cheese and jalapenos. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes – until the cheese is melted. Place avocado slices, salsa and cilantro on top and serve.

]]>http://deliciouslyorganic.net/grain-free-chilaquiles-recipe/feed/4Why Stomach Acid is Good for You and How to How to Increase It Naturallyhttp://deliciouslyorganic.net/why-stomach-acid-is-good-for-you-increase-naturally/
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/why-stomach-acid-is-good-for-you-increase-naturally/#commentsMon, 12 Sep 2016 20:05:30 +0000http://deliciouslyorganic.net/?p=115170We’ve been told by the conventional medical world that too much stomach acid is the cause of reflux and heartburn. This simply isn’t correct. Stomach acid is incredibly beneficial to the body and an increase in stomach acid can actually reduce and many times cure issues like acid reflux or heartburn and improve common issues […]

]]>We’ve been told by the conventional medical world that too much stomach acid is the cause of reflux and heartburn. This simply isn’t correct. Stomach acid is incredibly beneficial to the body and an increase in stomach acid can actually reduce and many times cure issues like acid reflux or heartburn and improve common issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leaky gut, colitis, and other gastrointestinal problems.

Let me explain. . .

What Does Stomach Acid Do?

Stomach acid (also known as Hydrochloric acid or HCL) is a necessary part of the digestive process. The acid is our first line of defense against pathogens, bacteria, parasites, etc. It also helps us digest our food properly.

When the body is relaxed, HCL is released into the stomach and breaks down fats into fatty acids, carbohydrates into glucose, and proteins into amino acids. This breakdown is very important so the body can then use the nutrients in our food.

When the food in your stomach has been mixed with the correct amount of stomach acid, enzymes, and other digestive secretions, it will reach an acidity between 1.5-3.0 on the ph scale and then move into the small intestine to continue the digestive process.

8 Key Things that Happen When There Isn’t Enough Stomach Acid:

1. The fats, carbs and proteins cannot break down properly for the body to utilize them. The food can then sit, petrify, become rancid and/or ferment.
2. The body can’t absorb and utilize many minerals like zinc, iron, magnesium, and calcium.
3. Overgrowth of harmful bacteria can occur which can lead to ulcers and cancer.
4. Because the contents of the stomach aren’t acidic enough, the stomach doesn’t want to release the contents of the stomach into the small intestine (see below).
5. When the contents of the stomach reach the small intestine, the gallbladder isn’t signaled to release bile, the pancreas isn’t signaled to release pancreatic enzymes and sodium bicarbonate isn’t released to increase the ph of the digested food.
6. Because sodium bicarbonate isn’t released, the mixture of food can burn the mucosal lining which lead can lead to ulcers.
7. The proteins that weren’t broken down by proper stomach acid now irritate the villi and can lead to leaky gut. A leaky gut allows fats and proteins to pass through the gut directly into the bloodstream which overwhelms the immune system.
8. The undigested food heads to the large intestine and can degenerate and weaken the colon, disrupt the flora, and cause inflammation, IBS and colitis.

If We Need So Much Stomach Acid, Then What Causes Reflux and Heartburn?

When there isn’t enough stomach acid, the pyloric sphincter – the valve that releases the broken-down food into the small intestine – doesn’t want to open. This leads to food sitting in the stomach for much longer than intended. Eventually the food tends to come back up the other way. Ironically, because the food has been bathed in some stomach acid it burns when it comes back up the esophagus.

So, you’re probably asking, “then why do acid-blockers work, or at least take the burn away”? The acid blockers lower the acidity in the stomach, so when the food starts to come back up, it doesn’t burn. This doesn’t mean the problem is fixed. The acid-blocker is simply masking the symptoms of a bigger issue.

3 Ways to Reverse Low Stomach Acid:

Don’t eat when you’re stressed or on the go and eat slowly. This is the most important piece of the puzzle. When you eat slowly and aren’t stressed, your body will be in the parasympathetic state, which is the body’s “rest, digest and heal” function. The parasympathetic state allows your body to release the correct amount of stomach acid, enzymes, etc. to digest your food.

Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a little bit of water before each meal.

Consider taking HCL with Pepsin at each meal. Talk to your holistic practitioner or nutritionist about the proper dosage.So remember, you need stomach acid! Eat slowly, in a relaxed state and consider some of the remedies I mentioned above – I think you’ll start seeing some great results.